What’s the best thing to do with an infant sleeping in the car when you have to run in a gas station?
ByI know it’s bad to leave an infant in the car but what is okay to do if you need to go in a store? Or do you always bring the carrier in with you?
I’m NOT talking about a long time just a moment, how long do you think is okay?
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21 Comments
January 29th, 2010 at 1:52 am
i always brought the carrier in with me
January 29th, 2010 at 2:35 am
I personally don’t think it’s ok. Too much can happen in a split second. I don’t ever leave my baby in a car alone but maybe that’s just me – I won’ t even leave my dog alone in the car!
January 29th, 2010 at 3:05 am
unless your just paying at the pump it is never ok to leave your baby in the car unattended even ifi ts just to pay the cashier.
January 29th, 2010 at 3:16 am
I always take the car seat (carrier) in if she is sleeping, if she is awake she doesn’t go in in the car seat (carrier). I would NEVER leave my daughter alone in a car at a store/gas station for any amount of time!
“I know it’s bad to leave an infant in the car but”
So if you know it’s bad, then why would you leave your baby in the car. I am a little confused by that…?
January 29th, 2010 at 4:01 am
Having lived in both a small town and a large city when my kids were babies – it is never a good idea to leave a child of any age (until they are teenagers and can lock the door and talk on a cell phone).
If I were you – I would ALWAYS take the baby with you if you don’t have an adult in the car.
January 29th, 2010 at 4:47 am
I wish it would be okay, but you just cant leave them in the car alone at all. It only takes bout 30 seconds to steal a car
January 29th, 2010 at 5:14 am
“I know it’s bad to leave an infant in the car but what is okay to do if you need to go in a store? ”
You bring baby with you, end of story. The goal of good baby care should not be “keep the infant asleep as much as possible” — so what if baby wakes up? Leave the damn car seat in the car and get a sling; if they’re tired, they go right back to sleep in them, zero fuss.
January 29th, 2010 at 5:56 am
Use a debit or gas card at pump. If not take the baby in. Where I live there has been several cases of people taking the vehicle with the child in it while the parent was inside paying. And, if someone calls the cops they take the child and turn over to DHS.
January 29th, 2010 at 6:34 am
Well it only takes a second for something to happen so i would not leave my baby in the car at all. i would just go to a store that i could pay at the pump. The was lady around where i live who left her baby in the car to go pay from gas and someon busted the window out and kidnapped her baby thank God they found the baby about 2 hours later
January 29th, 2010 at 6:59 am
I always just pop my son and his carseat out of the car and bring him in with me. I am way too paranoid about someone stealing the car with him in it or something else terrible happening to leave him in it.
January 29th, 2010 at 7:09 am
That’s your call. I usually take my son with me…it’s just a matter of “better safe than sorry,” and it’s not such a great inconvenience. If you park close to the store and there is no line at the counter, it’s probably fine to just leave the baby in the car…just make sure you can see the car in case someone tries anything.
January 29th, 2010 at 7:51 am
it is not ok. period you bring them with you
January 29th, 2010 at 8:15 am
bring the baby in with you, even if just for a moment. Bad things have happened to people who thought they were only going to be gone a moment and left the baby in the car. It only takes a moment for someone to steal the car with the baby in it. You could also accidently lock yourself out of the car, with the baby locked inside. It’s also illegal, where I live anyway, to leave a minor in a car unattended even just for a moment. You also may think you are only going to be gone a moment, but things happen that may delay your return to the car, such as long lines at the register or a technical difficulty with the cash register.
January 29th, 2010 at 8:41 am
I always took the carrier in with me. Now that both kids are in regular car seats, I either take them in or find an alternative to going to the store at that time (usually there is never anything that important)… I always pay for my gas at the pump too (if you are someone that hates to use credit to pay for gas, maybe you could purchase a gift card for the station that you use or a Visa gift card that you could pay at the pump so you don’t have to run inside). I usually do my shopping on my way home from work before I pick them up from daycare.
January 29th, 2010 at 9:04 am
Many places it’s illegal to leave a child in a running vehicle for any reason or length of time. This is a sick world we live in anything could happen. I wouldn’t do it.
January 29th, 2010 at 9:15 am
I always bring the baby with me, even if it seem inconvenient.
Did you hear about that woman who got arrested? She actually had the car in her sight at all times, she did not go insude the store: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/854272,CST-NWS-mom21.article
Lots of bad things happen to kids who get left in cars, so I just don’t take the chance. Here are some stories: http://www.kidsandcars.org/incidents/powerwindow/power_window.htm
January 29th, 2010 at 9:52 am
I don’t think it is ever okay to leave a baby or even a small child in a car alone. Too risky.
January 29th, 2010 at 10:13 am
I know this will probably get a lot of thumbs down, but I will be honest. I always maintain line of sight. If the gas station has a completely gas front and I can walk in and pay without the car ever leaving my site, I will leave a sleeping baby in the car, with the door locked. But I’m also ex-Army and still in pretty decent shape, so I’m sure I could get back out to the car and stop anyone who tried to do anything. If the entire car is not going to be within site for the entire time, I will take the baby with me.
January 29th, 2010 at 10:25 am
Could you really live with yourself if your car and your baby got stolen while you were inside just b/c you didn’t want to pick up the carrier and bring her in with you? I couldn’t.
Mine always come in with me unless I’m paying at the pump and then I’m right there.
January 29th, 2010 at 10:36 am
Just pay with credit card – if you can’t pay at the pump, I go to a different station.
January 29th, 2010 at 10:54 am
It is NEVER okay. Bring baby in with you.